


A Night Under the Stars

by jardinsdeminuit



Category: Heart no Kuni no Alice | Alice in the Country of Hearts
Genre: Camping, Drunken Shenanigans, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Lemon, Romance, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:46:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25678318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jardinsdeminuit/pseuds/jardinsdeminuit
Summary: Ace takes Alice and Julius on a camping trip, where he aims to prove to them that three lovers can be just as good as two.
Relationships: Ace (Heart no Kuni no Alice)/Alice Liddell/Julius Monrey, Ace/Alice Liddell (Heart no Kuni no Alice), Alice Liddell/Julius Monrey
Kudos: 17





	1. Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I procrastinate from my main fic, this is what I come up with :') This was originally going to be a one-shot, but I wanted to flesh it out a little more, so it turned into a two-parter, with the second half to be uploaded very soon.
> 
> I've always loved how close Julius and Ace are despite their opposing personalities, so consider this fic a bit of stupid fun without fitting into any specific route/canon. Enjoy! <3
> 
> Note: I should probably add, for anyone who isn't familiar with the original Heart no Kuni game or remake, the ball scene referenced in Part 2 is where Alice, Julius and Ace, reluctant to dance with the others, stand at the side of the dancefloor and down drinks all night. They go to the castle gardens, absolutely piss drunk, and start kissing. It's one of my favourite scenes from the series, mostly because of how quickly Julius goes from being his usual moody self into being absolutely off his spanner the moment he touches alcohol. Lightweight Julius is confirmed canon lol.

“This looks like the perfect place to stop.”

Alice looked around at the tiny clearing Ace had brought them to. It was barely big enough for the three of them to stand in, let alone set up a tent.

“You made us walk through two whole time periods for _this_?” Stood beside Alice, Julius crossed his arms. It had been daytime when they'd set off from the Clock Tower, then briefly turned to evening. Now sunlight streamed down through the trees again, highlighting the dust motes in the air and turning the leaves an even more vivid shade of green.

“Of course,” said Ace, either oblivious to or ignoring the Watchmaker's anger. “But it's been a nice break, hasn't it? None of your clocks are going to walk off by themselves if you take a night off.”

“They're also not going to _fix_ themselves, are they?” Julius snapped.

Alice took his hand and rubbed it gently with her thumb. “It means a lot that you came with us.”

“Well, I...” His face softened and he sighed. “You're welcome.”

As Ace began to unpack the tent he'd been carrying around his shoulders, Alice and Julius ventured out of the clearing to collect sticks for firewood. It had taken a huge amount of convincing to get Julius out of the Clock Tower, and even then, he'd complained for half of the journey. She was sure he'd only come in the end because she'd threatened to go alone with Ace (though of course, they both trusted him not to do anything unsavoury should they be alone together).

Alice glanced at Julius. While she loved him with all her heart, his unwillingness to go outside or do anything that didn't revolve around work bothered her. Not that she had grounds to complain. She'd known, going into a relationship with him, that his role required him to work continuously. And the times that they did spend together were so wonderful, they almost made up for their infrequency.

That was why she'd insisted that Julius come with her and Ace on this camping trip. Out here, in the forest between territories, the two of them would have time to reconnect. At least, that was what she'd hoped. At the moment, Julius looked like he'd rather be anywhere in the world than here, and it was starting to get on Alice's nerves.

By the time they returned to the clearing, Ace had already set up the tent. He waved at them from the open porch.

“That was quick,” said Alice, dumping the sticks in her arms on the ground.

“I'm good with my hands,” said Ace with a grin. “I imagine the same can be said for you, too, Julius.”

The Watchmaker froze. “What?”

“Come on, I'm not an idiot.” Ace shifted to make room for them. “You two have been together for a while now. Is he good, Alice?”

“I-I don't know what you're talking about,” said Alice, hoping that would bring the subject to a close, but Ace only pressed her harder.

“With his hands?”

“I don't think Julius would want me to talk about that kind of stuff.”

“No, he definitely doesn't,” mumbled Julius. He looked like he might have punched Ace in that moment had the two not been such close friends.

Raising his hands, Ace laughed and said, “Hey, I'm just curious.”

“Well, don't be.” Julius sank to the floor next to the pile of sticks. As well as putting up the tent, Ace had managed to clear away some of the smaller logs, leaves and debris that littered the edges of the clearing, leaving just enough space for the three of them, after all.

Night descended upon the forest. Luckily, by then, Ace had finished building his campfire and set it alight.

“Keep adding smaller sticks until it all catches,” he instructed Alice, who had taken to tending the fire in his stead. Then he crawled into the tent.

A pair of hands touched either side of Alice's head, making her jump. It took her a second to realise Julius was pulling her hair out of her eyes.

“In case it catches fire,” he mumbled.

Alice felt the back of her head. He'd tied her hair into a ponytail. “Thanks,” she said, touched by the simple gesture.

Ace emerged from the tent with a dark bottle, which he held up. Even with the fire illuminating the small space, it was impossible for Alice to read the label, though she assumed from Ace's enthusiasm that it was something alcoholic.

“What is that?” asked Julius.

“You know, I'm not even sure myself. My faceless friend I buy this from makes it in a bathtub in his basement.”

“So, you don't know what it is or what he puts in it, but you still drink it?” Julius made a face that told Alice everything she needed to know about what he thought of that.

Ace popped the cork, threw back the bottle and took a swig. He held it out to Julius. “Don't tell me that isn't good stuff.”

For a moment, Alice thought that Julius would refuse, but he took the bottle anyway and drank. Then he coughed.

“What did I tell you?” said Ace proudly.

“I wouldn't call that 'good'—”

“Can I try?” asked Alice, curious now. She'd only properly tried wine and champagne in the past.

“I don't think that's a good idea.”

She gave him a withering look. Julius had a habit of forgetting that when it came to making decisions, she was as much of an adult as him and Ace.

He handed her the bottle with reluctance. The moment she took a drink, she realised that it might have been better to have listened to Julius's warning on this occasion. The liquor was like the driest wine she'd ever drunk, but several times stronger, burning her mouth and nose as she swallowed.

“I think you need to make sure your friend isn't trying to poison you,” Alice wheezed, handing the bottle back to Ace.

“Nonsense. This is the kind of drink that'll put hairs on your chest.” Ace took another sip. “You can get Julius to check that for you later.”

Julius narrowed his eyes at him.

“Right.” Ace got to his feet and stretched out his arms. “I'm going for a quick walk. Hold the camp, you two. Unless you'd like to come with me?”

“I've had enough walking for today,” muttered Julius.

Alice felt bad at turning him down, but she found herself agreeing with her partner. Her legs ached a little after the hours of hiking they'd endured. “Just don't get lost, Ace.”

“Get lost? Me?” He laughed and walked out of the clearing, leaving Alice and Julius alone.

The fire crackled gently, eating up the last few twigs Alice placed onto it. The flames threw her shadow across the surrounding trees and lit up the small space with a warm orange glow. She looked at Julius. He sat beside her, his dark blue eyes fixed on a point somewhere in the trees.

“Are you okay?” Alice asked him.

He paused a few seconds before looking away. “I'm fine.”

 _Even now, he's so cold with me._ Something clicked inside her. She couldn't stay quiet on the subject any longer.

Usually, when she wanted to talk about a problem with Julius, she'd come straight out and say it. Unfortunately, that rule didn't apply to problems within their relationship. Talking to him about his feelings was like coaxing a wild animal to her side: she had to be slow and gentle, otherwise he'd retreat into himself and the conversation would be over.

“You hate it here, don't you?”

Julius looked at her. “Of course not. I just...” He sighed, as if trying to think of an ending to that sentence that wouldn't hurt her. “I'm not like Ace. I'm not used to spending so much time outdoors.”

“But isn't it nice to try new things?”

“Sometimes.” Alice's hand sat on the ground. He placed his own over it and squeezed. “I apologise if I was moody. I'm not trying to ruin things for you.”

“You didn't ruin anything,” said Alice, smiling sadly. “You just need to let yourself have fun sometimes. Take a break from fixing clocks.”

“That's easy for you to say. You don't have a role.”

While Alice knew he wasn't trying to be nasty, it didn't stop his words from stinging. She pulled her hand away from him. Realising what he'd done, Julius drew closer and said, in a low voice, “I'm sorry. You do a lot for me and I'm very lucky to have you.”

A pang of guilt stabbed Alice. Had she been too harsh in her criticism? Yes, Julius needed to lighten up sometimes. But he'd also agreed to come out here and spend the night camping with her and Ace. Even if it wasn't overly romantic, they could still have fun out here under the stars. She just had to draw his mind away from clocks first.

Leaning forward, she kissed him sweetly on the lips. “I'm lucky to have you, too.” And she meant it.

She crawled over to the tent and returned with the bottle Ace had left behind. Julius parted his knees, creating a space for her to sit in. She snuggled back against his chest, enjoying the combined warmth of his body and the fire in front of her.

She took another sip of Ace's moonshine and shuddered. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but she could already feel the tips of her fingers tingling with the alcohol. She'd only had a little bit.

“You shouldn't have too much of that,” said Julius, as if he could already sense the effect it was having on her. He plucked it from her hands and drank. “Ugh.” He popped the cork back in and threw it back into the porch before wrapping both arms around Alice's shoulders.

She twisted her head so she could plant a kiss against his chin. Julius looked down at her, a slight smile lifting the corners of his mouth. Then he placed his hand on her cheek, tilted her face up and bent forward.

Alice barely had time to react before Julius kissed her. His lips moved hungrily against hers, demanding her full attention, and Alice was happy to give it to him. Her mind spun as it always did when they were connected like this, her heart beating so hard in her chest she was sure Julius could hear it.

A thought came into her head. She broke away for a moment to whisper the word, “Ace...”

“He'll be fine,” Julius muttered before claiming her lips again.

In the time they'd been together, he'd gradually become more relaxed like this. At the beginning, Alice knew he wouldn't have been seen dead kissing her out in the open (though she suspected that, like her, the alcohol had more than a little to do with that). Nevertheless, she loved this Julius more and more every day. He was slowly coming out of his shell and enjoying the little things that life had to offer, and while he still mostly kept his emotions to himself, Alice caught him smiling more nowadays, something she'd rarely seen back when they were just living together.

Pressed against him as she was, Alice could sense Julius growing hard in his trousers. The feeling of it pushing into her lower back clouded her mind and filled her with an ache she knew only one thing could satisfy. If it weren't for the knowledge that Ace could come back at any moment, she might have let him take here on the spot.

Julius moved his lips to her neck and kissed her just below the jaw, a favourite spot of his. Alice gasped as his teeth grazed the sensitive skin, though that only made him clutch her body tighter. She wrapped her fingers in his hair and looked out into the dark area beyond the clearing.

She froze. A figure was standing behind the tent.

“Julius,” she hissed.

The Watchmaker immediately pulled off and followed her gaze. He jumped when he, too, saw the shape.

“Ace?” he called out.

There was a moment of tense silence. Then the figure burst into laughter.

Alice let out the breath she'd been holding in. Behind her, Julius grunted angrily.

“How long have you been standing there?” he shouted.

“Long enough.” Ace emerged from the shadows and raised his hands. A grin was painted across his face. “Hey, don't let me stop you. Perhaps...” He raised an eyebrow and looked directly at Alice. “You'd like some company?”


	2. Part 2

Alice and Julius realised at the same time what Ace was talking about.

“Absolutely not,” snapped Julius.

Ace clicked his tongue. “Aw, you're no fun, Julius.” He walked over to them slowly and fell to his knees in front of Alice. She looked up into his eyes, a shade of brown so vivid they could have passed for red. “Besides, someone like Alice is too beautiful to keep to yourself.”

“Stop it.” Julius placed his arms around her protectively and hugged her to his chest.

“Why? You didn't seem so against it the other day.” The Knight kept his eyes on Alice as he spoke. “Do you remember what you said at the Clock Tower when we were alone? About when we went to the gardens after the ball?”

Alice looked up at Julius in shock. The ball may have been a while ago, but she still remembered clearly the three of them running off to the castle gardens to fool around. They'd all been tipsy, a result of downing too many drinks at the side of the dance floor. Not much had come of it – a few messy kisses and drunken fumbles. Julius had never mentioned it since. She'd always assumed he'd been embarrassed by the memory.

“What did you say?” she asked.

The man opened his mouth to speak, but the words seemed to catch in his throat. “I—”

Ace cut in: “He said how much he enjoyed that night and wondered how things might have turned out if we'd taken it further.”

“Is that true?” Alice asked Julius, looking up again.

She thought he'd deny it straight away or tell Ace to shut up, but instead, he mumbled, “Do you think less of me?” His cheeks had turned scarlet.

“Of course not,” said Alice, rubbing his arm. It was a little surprising, she had to admit to herself, to find out that Julius had admitted something like that to Ace. Then again, the two of them had been close for as long as she'd known them. If Julius were to confess to anyone besides her, it would be Ace.

And it wasn't like Alice had never considered it. With his long, dark hair, sharp cheekbones and gentle voice, Julius was like a vintage red wine: smooth and sophisticated. Ace, on the other hand, was loud and bubbly, a cocktail on a summer's day. In many ways, he was like the knights from storybooks Alice had read when she was little, what with his rugged good looks and the sword that forever stayed at his hip.

But at the end of the day, that's all they remained – thoughts. She'd never imagined that Julius would have similar fancies.

“Alice, you know I would never force you to do anything you didn't want to,” he said.

“I know. It's okay.” The more she considered it, the more the thought of being with both Julius and Ace filled her with a kind of dark desire. It was taboo, but also alluring in its own way.

“Perhaps,” said Ace, “we should let Alice decide what she wants to do.” He placed two fingers beneath her chin and tilted her head up, forcing her to look into his eyes. “Is that okay with you?”

“Yes,” she breathed.

Ace smirked. Then he leaned forward and kissed her. His lips were soft and tasted like the alcohol they'd all been drinking. He kept the embrace short and sweet, parting her mouth just a little before pulling away again. “How was that?”

Alice's heart fluttered in her chest, though she couldn't help but feel guilty, as if she'd already betrayed the sanctity of hers and Julius's relationship. She turned to him, expecting to find anger on his face, but he only raised an eyebrow. “Well?”

“Oh.” She looked back at Ace. “I liked it.”

“Good,” said Ace. He kissed her again, harder this time. His tongue brushed her bottom lip, then slipped forward, exploring the cavern of her mouth with an expertise that made her whimper.

A hand on her cheek pulled her away. Alice barely had a moment to breathe before Julius drew her into an embrace of his own. A low growl grew in his chest. The sound of it made her shiver with pleasure.

 _This is actually happening,_ she thought. None of it seemed real. And yet there was no mistaking the thumping of her pulse, the racing of her mind, for a dream. She wrapped a hand in Julius's hair while Ace took the other and planted a string of teasing kisses from her wrist all the way up to her shoulder.

“I'll meet you two inside,” he whispered in her ear, and disappeared.

Once Alice heard the zip to the main part of the tent open, she broke the kiss and stared up at Julius. His dark eyes reflected the fire light. She brushed a stray hair out of his face and gave him a flustered smile.

“Alice.” His voice was low and serious. “Is this what you want?”

She nodded. The idea daunted her as much as it excited her, but she at least wanted to try and indulge that part of her desires. Besides, Ace was a close friend to them both. She trusted him almost as much as she did Julius. “What about you?”

“I... I think so.” He grabbed hold of her hand suddenly and squeezed her fingers. “The moment you feel uncomfortable with _anything_ , I want you to tell me, and make it all stop.”

“I will,” she said, craning her neck to give him a kiss on the cheek.

He grunted softly. “Okay, then.”

They filed into the tent one after the other, Julius pausing to do up the double zips that sealed them off from the outside world. Ace was already sat in the back corner. He'd taken off his long red coat so that he was left in his black shirt and trousers. From a loop in the ceiling he'd hung a lamp, illuminating the space inside the tent. It wasn't huge, having been designed to sleep three people side by side, but it was cosy. Blankets and pillows covered the ground.

The moment Alice knelt down, Ace crawled over to her and kissed her with a ferocity that left her breathless. His hands brushed over her waist before finding the catch at the back of her dress, and he was pushing it down over her arms, exposing her bare skin and bra. Her hair was still up in the tie Julius had put it in when she'd been leaning over the fire. Taking his place behind her, he pulled out the tie and raked his fingers through her hair. Then he lowered his lips to her neck.

It was disorientating, the way the two men passed her between them. One moment she was facing Ace, the next Julius was pulling her to his chest, demanding her attention. Ace's lips brushed over her neck, her collar. He unclipped her bra and latched onto her nipple, his thumb massaging her other breast, making her groan.

This was wrong. Dirty. But Alice didn't care. The familiarity of Julius's touch paired with Ace's rough enthusiasm was enough to leave her hot and wanting. She could feel the alcohol spreading through her veins like a warm tide. She'd been drunk before, and while she was nowhere near that point, she couldn't help but wonder how much of an effect the alcohol was having in dulling her inhibitions.

Ace raised his head from her chest and smiled. He pulled on her legs, which were wrapped loosely around his waist, closer to his hips, allowing Alice to rub up against the hardness that was lurking there. She froze.

“Alice, are you okay?” Julius looked down at her with concern in his eyes.

“I'm fine,” she said. “Are you sure you're okay with this?”

“If you are, then so am I.” The flush had returned to Julius's cheeks. “I just want you to be comfortable.”

Alice was anything but comfortable. Pressed up against Ace, she became all too aware of the growing ache between her legs. She squirmed, hoping he'd pick up on her messages.

Laughing softly, Ace said, “I think Julius is worried you'll enjoy me more than you do him.”

“That's not—” Julius protested before cutting himself off, as if he'd how useless it was to argue with his friend.

Alice lay back in the middle of the tent as Ace undressed. He was more muscled than Julius, with broad shoulders and a lean waist, no doubt a result of the long hours he spent out here in the forest. A lattice of pink scars criss-crossed his arms and chest, barely visible in the low light.

Julius sat beside Alice's shoulders, his head almost touching the top of the tent, as Ace got into position above her. Propped up on his arms, he rubbed his cock against her entrance, sliding over the wetness, before slowly pushing the head in.

Alice gasped. Her fingers gripped the blankets by her head. Julius took one of her hands in his and placed the other against her cheek, comforting her as Ace slowly inched his way inside. She writhed against the mounting pressure, not able to hold back a whimper.

“Sounds like your girl's moaning for me,” said the Knight, grinning straight at Julius.

“You're being too rough.”

“I'm... fine,” Alice whispered.

Julius turned his eyes back to her, and she was reminded of his promise to stop things should they get too much. Not that she didn't trust Ace. She just knew as well as Julius that his energy and competitiveness could carry him away sometimes.

Sure enough, when he started to thrust into her, it was with hard, quick strokes that rocked her to her core. Usually when she was with Julius, he'd begin slowly, speeding up his pace as she grew more used to him. Ace, on the other hand, was quick to claim her as his own. Each thrust reached deep inside her, pinning her to the hard ground. She had to bite her lip to keep from crying out.

Julius planted a kiss against her forehead, then whispered into her ear, “It's okay. You're safe. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Alice squeezed his hand.

“Me, too, Julius,” said Ace.

“Shut up.” The Watchmaker Alice's lips and kissed her, his thumb tracing her cheekbone.

A particularly hard thrust from Ace made her arch her back and moan into Julius's mouth. He broke the kiss and looked up with rage in his eyes. “Stop hurting her.”

“Fine.” Panting, Ace pulled out. Alice thought he was giving her a few minutes to recover, but instead, he flipped her over onto her front and laid on top of her. His breath was hot as he whispered in her ear, “I think Julius is feeling a little left out.” He gestured with a hand. “See, he hasn't even taken his clothes off.”

Alice almost laughed as she looked up. She'd been so swept up in the moment that she hadn't realised Julius was fully clothed while she and Ace were completely naked. She could only imagine how hot he was in the small space of the tent.

“At least take off your coat,” she urged him. He pursed his lips, but did as she said, folding his heavy black coat into a neat pile and placing it in the corner of the tent. He was still overdressed in his waistcoat and shirt, but it was a start.

“Good,” said Ace. “Now relax.”

He propped himself up on one elbow and held Alice's hip with the other hand, angling her against him. Alice only had a moment to prepare herself before he slipped inside her again.

With most of his weight directly on top of her now, Alice felt his thrusts more intensely, if such a thing were possible. She moved her hips with him, each movement grinding her clit into the blanket and sending jolts of electricity through her body.

She reached out and fumbled with the button at the top of Julius's trousers. Within seconds, his cock was free. She took it in her hand and rubbed it a few times, pleased when he gave a small gasp and bucked his hips in response. Then she placed the tip in her mouth and sucked.

Julius groaned. Alice had done this before – she knew what he liked and how best to tease him. But now, with Ace's eyes on her, she felt a strange sense of urgency. She wanted to prove to Julius that despite Ace's presence, she belonged to him. She loved him more than anything in the world. Hopefully, he still thought the same about her.

Placing a hand on each of his thighs to steady herself, she ran her tongue around his head. Then, slowly, she pushed her mouth down, taking more and more of him into her. At the point he hit the back of her throat, most of his length was inside.

Alice was so occupied with Julius, she didn't notice Ace had moved his hand from her hip until his fingers brushed her breast. His arm easily reached around her chest and held her against him. She could tell from his ragged breaths that he was nearing his climax.

Turning her attention back to Julius, Alice bobbed her mouth up and down in time with Ace's thrusts. The feeling of having the two men she loved the most inside her was overwhelming. She bucked her hips against Ace and moaned hard, licking Julius as she sucked, digging her fingers into his thighs. He wrapped a hand in her hair and guided her head. The action was so primal and unlike Julius that it made her heart jump.

With one final stroke, Ace buried his head in her shoulder and grunted. He crushed her with his arm. The muscles of his stomach clenched against her back. Then, slowly, he pulled out of her and gasped, reeling from his climax.

Alice raised her head to glance over her shoulder. Ace was sat behind her. His cheeks were red with exertion, and a layer of sweat stuck his hair to his forehead. For once, he seemed to be lost for words.

“Come here, Alice.” Julius's voice was low and gravelly. She sat up and allowed him to pull her onto his lap, her legs folded either side of his. His cock sat against her stomach, wet from where she'd sucked him.

Despite the ache of her body, Alice still felt full of energy. She looked up into Julius's face. He looked so beautiful in the low light. She ran her fingers through his blue-tinted hair and brushed it behind his ears, then placed her hands on his shoulders. Her thoughts travelled back to their argument earlier. They may have made up, but it didn't prevent her from feeling a hint of guilt at having been angry at him for not wanting to come out with her and Ace.

Julius must have sensed something was wrong, because he kissed her cheek and muttered, “You're the most important thing to me in the world. You know that, don't you?”

His words were so simple, but they touched Alice deeply. “Of course. And you are to me, Julius.”

She took his cock in her hand, raised her hips and slowly slipped down. Julius held her by the back, easing her onto him. His eyes never left hers.

Alice began to moved at a gentle pace, raising her hips and bringing them down in a smooth circle as she became accustomed to the exhilarating, overfilled feeling that came with having him inside her. When they were alone, she always enjoyed being on top the most. Having control over the man she loved, watching him writhe and moan beneath her, was enough to send her mind into overdrive.

Only when she'd found a comfortable rhythm did Julius begin to move with her, his hips rising up to meet hers. His hands alternated between kneading her breasts and gripping her waist, guiding her as she rode him. Even now, Alice was surprised by the roughness of his hands, the callouses built up after years and years of fixing clocks and holding tools, though the gentleness of his touch more than made up for it.

He placed his lips against the side of her neck and bit her hard enough to make her jump. “You're mine,” he mumbled.

Was he being possessive because of Ace? Not that Alice was complaining. She held onto Julius's shoulders and ground her hips into him harder, gasping into his collar.

A second pair of hands reached around her and held onto her breasts. She felt Ace press against her back, his hair tickling her as he ran his tongue from the base of her neck to her ear, sending shivers down her spine. For a moment, she thought Julius would tell him to back off, but he only gripped her waist harder.

It was all too much for Alice. Caught between the two men, she felt her body begin to tremble. The next moment, she was floating. She groaned as she came, vaguely aware of Julius's voice soothing her but too far away to hear the words.

By the time she came back to earth, shaking and gasping, Julius was still sliding into her. He cursed, and then he, too, climaxed hard. His fingers dug into her skin so hard it made her wince.

When it was over, he slowly relinquished his grip and stared at Alice with hooded eyes. He looked as exhausted as she felt.

“Julius, you're so cute.” Ace suddenly reached forward and wrapped his arms around the pair of them. The Watchmaker turned a deeper shade of red.

“Yes, well...” He scowled at Ace. “Put on some trousers, for goodness' sake.”

Alice pushed off him, lay back against the blankets and held her arm over her eyes. Her chest rose and fell with her breaths. She was spent. Every inch of her body felt sore, yet it wasn't an unpleasant sensation.

A hand touched hers. She looked up to see Julius leaning over her. “Are you okay?”

She nodded.

The sound of the tent being unzipped made her turn her head. Ace crawled out of the tent, dressed from the waist down, muttering something about checking the fire.

Once the two of them were alone, Julius lay down next to Alice. A light breeze swept into the tent, cooling Alice's skin and making her sigh contentedly. She hadn't realised it was so stuffy inside. She could hear Ace humming to himself as he placed more wood on the fire.

Julius let out a long breath. “That was... something.”

Alice couldn't help but laugh at the tone of his voice. She'd expected to feel awkward after everything that had happened, and in a way, that was true; but she also felt closer to him in a way she'd never experienced before.

She rolled over so that her top half rested on his chest, picked up a loose strand of dark hair and twirled it around her fingertips. “Do you regret coming out here?”

Julius thought for a moment. “No. But from now on, I think I'd like to keep you for myself. For a little while, at least.”

Alice smiled at him, and they kissed. It was a sweet, innocent embrace compared to the others they'd shared tonight, but it still made Alice's pulse race. She grabbed the edge of the blanket and pulled it around their bodies, cocooning them inside.

If Julius wanted to keep her for himself for the near future, she could more than easily deal with that request. Besides, they had a whole lifetime to experiment. For now, Alice was content with the warmth of one lover around her.

By the time Ace came back into the tent, they were fast asleep in each other's arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was so much fun to write! Shout out to my roommate, who begged me to include a scene where Ace slaps Julius around the face with his *ahem* sword. I've never actually written a three-way relationship before, so feel free to leave feedback if you liked or if I can improve anywhere. It always helps my writing so much. :)  
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
